Left Unfinished
by OfficerDimples
Summary: Clarke leaves a lot behind after the war. She takes the plane down to finish things. She doesn't expect to make thing worse than ever. But she doesn't plan on making the same mistakes over again, and if she can reconcile with her past while making things right, then it just might be worth it. Captain America AU
1. Prologue

The rain continues to pound the window of your room as you struggle to pull the blanket closer for warmth. You can tell by the clock that's on the nightstand that she's due back in another 10 minutes, but it feels like a lifetime as sick as you are. The phone rings in the other room, and you're sure it's your mom, but you can't bring yourself to get up to answer it. After a few minutes it stops ringing and the pounding it brought to your head slowly subsides. You hear a key turn in the lock and the front door quietly open and close. You can tell by how quiet she's being that she thinks you're asleep, but it's rather difficult to sleep when it's too cold without her. She comes into the room so quietly anyone else might not have noticed, but you do. She slips into the bed behind you and wraps her arm around your waist.

"Did you do it?" You ask, but you can't look at her. You already know the answer.

She buries her head in your hair and sighs, "Yeah. I should know by the end of the week." Her voice is muffled by your hair, but even so you can tell she's smiling.

"I wish I could be there with you."

"Clarke-"

"No Lexa," you cut her off, and turn in her arms so you're both face to face. "If I could be there-"

"But you can't. No matter what recruitment office you go to no one is going to take you. It's too much of a risk and you know it. Just drop it, okay?" Her words sting with truth, but there's a pleading in her voice, and the smallest trace of fear in her eyes that gives you the encouragement to nod your head, even though the both of you know it's not the end. Not for you. You fall asleep listening to the sound of rain wash over Brooklyn.

* * *

It doesn't even take until the end of the week for her to get her enlistment. Just three days and she's been assigned to the 107th. Two days after that and she's gone to the front lines, leaving you behind, what could be for good. You meet Dr. Jaha the night she deploys.


	2. Chapter 1

**Alright I just wanted to start by saying that I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I knew from the beginning that other than the first chapter I wanted to tell the story that would go along with TFA in flashback and I'm not planning on spending too much time on the Avengers. It was just hard to find a way to write the flashback in so I hope I've done a good job of that. Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The punches ring out through the empty gym as Clarke uses it to release everything she's been holding in since basic. She's the only one here this late at night, so she doesn't have to worry about any of the other boxers staring at her, the woman out of time.

*Punch*

 _They won't let you do anything. Jaha just died in your arms, you rescued a kid, and the guy who was responsible for it all didn't get away because of you. That should count for something. But to them you're just a glorified showgirl_.

*Punch,* You can feel the bag giving under your heightened strength.

 _You end up on the front lines for a couple of shows, but your full suit isn't what they want. You spends most of your time in your tent until you finds out what regiment it is. Then all you can think is Lexa, Lexa, Lexa. Nobody's giving you the answer's that you want, but at least Bellamy is willing to help you. Finding her is harder than you could have imagined, because, oh god, what have they_ done? _The two of you barely make it out alive, but you do. You do, and you can't help but feel like even Hydra couldn't stop you now that you're back together._

"You hit the bag a lot harder than the last two times, and the chain creaks above it. Hindsight is always 20/20. Lexa was never meant to make it out of that war alive. She was always too ready to pick up the mantle; to fight the battles you never asked her to.

 _The next couple of months blur by. You take on one Hydra base after another, and you can feel that you're getting close to something big. You and Lexa hardly leave each other's sides. You have intel that Dr. Zola will be on this train, and your window is about to close. You look to Lexa and smile as you attach your harness to the zip-line. You see her give a half smile through her nerves. She never liked heights, and right about now you just want to kiss her and tell her it'll be fine. But you don't. You're on the train with ease, but once you're on there's a whole other set of problems. Namely a weapons suit you're definitely not prepared for. Before you know it you're on your ass ten feet back and Lexa is taking up your shield before you can get a breath out to stop her, and then she's dangling hundreds of feet up off the side of the train. You're reaching for her, telling her to just reach a little further, but it's not enough. You watch her fall._

You punch the bag with everything in you, and all you can think is you should have kissed her. Should have saved her. Should have, should have, should have.

 _The last stand against Hydra comes only a few days later. The plan is crazy and reckless and there's a high chance that it might not even work, but you need this right now. You need them to go down in flames, even if you go with them. It nearly works. Nearly. The Red Skull gets on a plane at the last second and you hop in a car with Bellamy to chase him down the runway. You know this is goodbye, but you're not sure that he does, so you grab onto the wheel of the plane and don't say anything. The Red Skull tells you about ALIE as you fight. How its' system is a thing of legend. Not really meant for mortals, but he'd harnessed it anyway. You can't let this plane reach its' destination. You take him out, but you see the navigation system, and you know it's way over your head. So you do the only thing you can do. You point it to the water and radio Bellamy. You think he cries, but you're holding onto the thought that he doesn't. It's easier that way. You talk about next Saturday, a night at the club that'll never happen. Then it's just metal and ice and you're cold and all you can think is this is what it was like for Lexa._

One last punch and the bag finally gives, slamming against the wall and spraying sand across the room. You're done for the day. You're exhausted physically and emotionally, and maybe now you can actually sleep. You haven't been sleeping well. Even with your heightened metabolism keeping you warm during the day, you find the night too cold in the dark. You know why, even if you can't admit it to yourself.

"When I suggested therapy this isn't exactly what I meant," You look up to see Marcus Kane, Director of Shield. The man has a habit of sneaking up on you. You really wish he didn't.

"Can I help you with something?" You're really not in the mood for him right now. He unnerves you, with his easy smile and sharp eyes. The man sets you on edge. You knew the day you woke up that nothing would ever be right again as long as he was in your life.

"A couple months ago we recovered ALIE from the ocean a few kilometers southwest of where we found you. Last night, the location we were holding it was compromised, along with some of our best men," The man has the decency to look nearly shameful. Nearly.

"Why should I care?" You do care, but he doesn't need to know. Hydra was using ALIE to build weapons and pieces of code that could have taken down countries. You don't know how it got there, but you know it didn't belong in the '40's, and you risked everything to get rid of it. You thought it was over. Now though, if it's back, there's no closure. There's no peace as long as ALIE exists, and it's so much more dangerous.

"You're the most experienced with it. It's technology world's beyond our own, but you could handle it in the 1940's. I'm sure you'd be able to handle it now," He smiles at you, and you can see him expecting you to give in like it means nothing.

"Yeah. You're right. I did handle it then. Do you wanna know how? I sank it in the middle of the ocean. Took myself down with it. You should've left us both exactly where we were." You turn to walk away, or you almost do. You're so close to getting out the door.

"I forgot to mention who took it. He's gone by many names through the centuries. I believe you know him as Bellamy Blake."

* * *

 **I promise I will not leave you guys hanging with this one for long. Clarke's got some business to take care of ;)**


End file.
